Sunrise Hikes Business License Taxes 5 Percent

June 4, 2000|By CHRISTY McKERNEY Staff Writer

SUNRISE — After rejecting a rate hike last year because it would tarnish its business-friendly image, city commissioners this year have quietly voted to increase occupational license taxes by 5 percent.

The increase, passed on May 23 as a consent agenda item, will give the city an estimated additional $60,000.

There was no discussion about the rate hike.

State law allows cities to raise occupational license fees once every two years. The licenses are required for most new businesses and must be renewed each year.

The commission last raised the rates in 1997.

Public records at the state Department of Revenue show that the city collected more than $1.43 million in occupational licensing fees in 1998, the most recent year on file.

Last year, commissioners were still smarting over negative fallout from the business community after the city passed a sign ordinance that banned businesses from exposing neon and placed restrictions on window signs. Business owners had complained that they needed to make costly changes to meet new codes.

No business owners spoke about the license fee hike during the commission meeting's open discussion period.

"I think it's due," said Leslie Anne Moore, president of the Sunrise Chamber of Commerce and member of the city's economic development board.

"It's very small and it's not a large increase. I don't see any of our businesses here complaining about it," she said.

Moore said she didn't know if businesses knew about it. The Chamber plans to include an item in its July newsletter.

Christy McKerney can be reached at cmckerney@sun-sentinel.com or 954-572-2008.